Buckle.



No. 680,464. Patented Aug. l3, I90l. R. C. POOL.

BUCKLE.

(Application filed Kay 99, 1901.)- (No Iodol.)

w1 nvsss5s= INVENTOI? I 46" A7TOHNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

ROBERT C. POOL, O F TYLER, TEXAS.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,464, dated August 13,

Application filed May 29,1901. Serial No. 62,364. (lie model.) v V To alt whom, it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ROBERT C. POOL, a citizen of the-United States, residing at Tyler, in

the county of Smith and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which-it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in buckles, and the object is to provide a simple and inexpensive construction of buckle which will securely hold the straps in their adj ustmeut and which may be quickly and conveniently operated to release the straps when it is desired to adjust or remove the latter.

A further object is to provide a buckle in which the tongues may be moved laterally, either toward or away from each other, to adapt the buckle for use with straps having differently-spaced tongue-receiving openings.

With the above objects'in view the invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafterfully described, particularly pointed out in the claims, and clearly illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a buckle constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a face view of the same with the straps positioned therein, the positions of the spring-tongues when disengaged from the openings in the straps being indicated by dotted lines; and Fig. 3 is a similar view of the reverse side of the buckle and straps, the dotted lines beingomitted.

My improved buckle is constructed of a single piece of wire bent to form a substantially rectangular frame having a loop at each end to receive the straps and spring-tongues having inwardlyextending engaging ends and capable of both outward and lateral movement.

In forming the buckle above briefly described the wire is doubled and at its doubled end bent at right angles to form the outer and end bars of a loop A, and at the base or inner side of the loop the branches of the wire are bent inward and outward, forming inwardly-extending eyes B, which constitute the end bar of the frame and the inner bar of the loop to support the straps at that end of the frame.' Said eyes also constitute keepers to receive the engaging ends of the springtongues, as will appear hereinafter. From said lateral bends or eyesB the branches of the wire are extended to form the side bars 0 of the frame, and at the ends of said bars said branches are bent toward each other tofform the other end bar of the frame and the inner bar or baseof the loop at that end of the frame. At their meeting-point said branches are crossed and extended in opposite direction to said side bars 0, where they are bent outwardly to form the end bars of the loop D. Said branches are then bent toward each other to form the outer bar of said loop, and at their meeting-point are crossed, as before. The branches are then extended in opposite directions and bent at right angles to form the spring-tongues E, which extend to loop A and are disposed substantially parallel with the side bars 0 of the frame. At their free ends said tongues are bent towardeach other to extend substantially parallel with the loop and are then bent inwardly to form engaging or inserting portions F, which extend transversely of loop A, with their ends normally in the eyes or keepers B.

From the above description it will be seen that the branches of the wire are interlocked at substantially the center of each of the bars of the loop D, as indicated at G and H.

In use the two straps are passed through the two loops and are held in the desired rela tive adjustment by the inserting or engaging ends of the spring-tongues, which pass through the transversely-aimed holes I of the straps when the latter have been moved to bring the holes of one into coincidence with thoseof the other.

To adjust the straps, the spring-tongues are first sprung outward to bring their engaging ends out of the holes of the straps, and then said tongues are moved laterally and said engaging portions positioned at the sides of the straps, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. spring-tongues also permits the buckles to be The lateral movement of the used with different straps, in which the distance between the transversely-alined holes may vary.

From the above description it will be seen that I have produced a buckle for-med of a single piece of wire by the use of which. two straps may be securely held in their relative adj ustment, and which may be convenient and quickly operated to release said straps when it is desired to adjust the latter.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A buckle comprising a frame formed at its respective ends with loops, and springtongues formed with inwardly-extending inserting portions, substantially as described.

2. A buckle comprising a frame formed at its respective ends with loops, spring-tongues formed with inwardlyextending engaging ends, and keepers to receive said engaging ends, substantially as described. 3. A buckle comprising a frame formed at its respective ends with loops, and outwardly and laterally movable spring-tongues, substantially as described.

4. A buckle comprising a frame formed at its respective ends with loops, and springtongues extending from one of said loops and formed adjacent to the other loop with inwardly extending engaging ends disposed transversely of the said loop, substantially as described.

5. A buckle comprising a frame formed at its respective ends with loops, and springtongues extending from one of said loops and in substantially the same plane as the outer bars of the loop and formed with inwardlyextending engaging ends, substantially as 

